This just wasn't the story for me. I think I am turning into one of those crusty old ladies the older I get and I just don't enjoy the same things that I would have even just a year or two ago. That being said, I am certain that there is a wide audience that will love it. Now let me go round up my 18 cats and turn on some Lawrence Welk reruns!!

Thea is a social worker in New York who develops a connection to a patient admitted with no name who isn't speaking. This leads her on a crazy ride that ends up in the New Mexico desert with a suspected cult. I enjoyed this story and found it really interesting how the main character develops. Rating it 3/3.5 stars kept me guessing never sure where this book was really heading. I want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time putting this one down! I really enjoyed the story and felt completely connected to the characters—especially Thea. The book centers around a cult, which made it a tough read at times, knowing things like this actually happen and how easily people can fall under their spell.

This thriller was packed with twists and so much deceit that I never knew who to trust. The twists were definitely the highlight for me! That said, the story itself felt a little all over the place at times. As much as I loved it, there were still a few unanswered questions that left me wanting more. The ending took a bit of a detour and got a little confusing, but it pulled itself back together.

Overall, definitely a good read!

RECAP: Some parts I could've done without but overall, a solid cult thriller by the author of "The Writing Retreat" which felt far more enthralling than her first.

The BREAKDOWN: Julia Bartz is a practicing therapist so of course her books are going to center around therapy and healing. This one felt like she knew exactly what she was doing and I enjoyed it overall. "The Last Session" follows Thea, a therapist who feels a strange pull to a catatonic woman who ends up in her hospital. Oh, and she also looks JUST LIKE HER. Creepy. After being discharged under mysterious circumstances, Thea obsesses over clues left behind and finds herself traveling to a remote New Mexico healing center to uncover both her patient's past and, potentially, her own.
I really enjoyed how Julia Bartz dug into the therapy and healing side of things in this book. The main character is a perfect example of how we push our fears and uncomfortable feelings aside in order to feel better, even from a therapist's POV. The story itself had some pieces that I didn't feel was necessary (IYKYK) but it was incredibly interesting to delve into the world of cults and the different mindsets of those around us. Nothing was as it seemed in this atmospheric thriller, which provided plenty of twists and turns.

While "The Writing Retreat" fell flat for me, "The Last Session" made up for it. Don't take it too seriously, just enjoy the ride!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

While the book started off strong and promising, it ended up going down hill and I did not enjoy the last 40%. The premise was a great idea but I think it failed to pull through at the end.

Bartz plots a great cult story that tests even the most logical mind of a social worker. The ride here is emotional and harrowing - a fantastic spring thriller.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC of The Last Session in exchange for an honest review.

This started as a solid 4 for me. I was intrigued by the premise, which felt somewhat unique. Some of the reveals in Part 1 made me more interested, and by 40% I was fully invested to find out what was happening next.

Part 2 is when things start falling off for me. I understand that this resort is supposed to be full of cult like behavior, but that doesn't mean I want to be subjected to reading chapter after chapter of their delusional thinking. It gets more and more convoluted and makes less and less sense. By Part 4 my eyes are fully stuck in rolled mode.

I found the subplot surrounding the religious and sexual trauma that Thea experienced to be completely unnecessary. There was also a VERY misplaced spicy scene that I was not expecting, and felt gratuitous.

The last 80% or so dragged on and on and by the end I wasn't satisfied. I was just glad it was finally over.

I personally think that books that discuss really heavy and triggering topics like religious and sexual trauma should be handled with care, and I don't think it was here. There is something icky about the way it was done and while I appreciate the triggers warnings by the author, I think these could have just...not been here and she would have gotten a similar story.

Random fact that has been bugging me: Many people in their reviews say that Thea is a therapist and she is not. She is a psychiatric social worker, which is a very different thing.

The Last Session
by Julia Bartz
Pub Date: April 1, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
From the instant New York Times bestselling author of The Writing Retreat, a white-knuckled locked-room thriller about a social worker who, after coming face-to-face with her dark past, must infiltrate a mysterious wellness center in the deserts of New Mexico.
This book was a let down for me.
Although this book will grab you at the beginning, it does slow way down at about the halfway point, and so many parts of it are too far-fetched for me. It is definitely an interesting plot that I would label as a dark thriller, and I’m sure there’s a huge audience for that, but I struggled a bit.

3.5 rounded up! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of "The Last Session" in exchange for my honest review.

I loved "The Writing Retreat," so I was thrilled to have the chance at an early peek at "The Last Session." It truly had everything I crave in an escape: locked-room setting, unpredictable narration, and new-age cult-iness. Reading this was like binging a wild cult documentary and it definitely has all the makings of a "Nine Perfect Strangers"-esque series. I loved all of these aspects, plus the way that Bartz subtly dropped quarantine into the story of the early appeal of the retreat.

I did have some trouble believing the coincidence of the connection between Thea and Catherine and the in-novel movie, Stargirl. I kept waiting for a logical explanation on how these connections came to be, and even convinced myself there was something specific coming down the pike (I won't say what I thought, since it didn't come to pass- I don't want to inadvertently provide a spoiler!), so I was left with a plot-hole of my own making. I also would have liked more of a look into Thea's home life with her family to give our main character more depth.

Seriously, though- someone call Hulu!

As much as I enjoyed Julia Bartz's first novel, <i>the Writing Retreat</i>, this sophomore attempt was so lackluster for me. For a book that's less than 250 pages, itt just dragged on and on and on, and by the halfway mark I was so bored that I wanted to put it down. And by the way it all evened out, I should've DNF'd it.

There isn't any situation in this book that affirms its "locked door mystery" pronouncement in the summary, the cult portion of the novel wasn't culty and weird enough for me, and I agree with a lot of other reviews that say this book requires a lot of suspension of belief. And the writing? So bland. Zero style, zero prose.

Also, I'd like for once for a woman's kink to not be explained away by past trauma. Yes, what happened with Pastor John and Adam was terrible, no doubt, but it's okay to have a degradation kink just because that's your kink. It's fine.

I'd hate to see Bartz be a one-hit wonder for me, but I guess we'll see with her next novel.

This was an excellent physiological thriller in the vein of The Silent Patient. It is clear that Bartz is really coming into herself as an author and fine tuned a lot of her skills that weren’t as solid in The Writing Retreat. I was riveted from the beginning of this thriller set in a wellness retreat.

The narrative delves into themes of spirituality, the supernatural, cult dynamics, and past lives, while also addressing significant real-life issues such as sexual trauma and religious trauma. The potential directions for the storyline seem abundant. However, there were concerns regarding the pacing; the story initially felt prolonged and sluggish. Additionally, the exploration of spiritual and cult elements appeared excessive and lacked engagement, while the conclusion felt hurried and did not deliver a strong impact.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC copy.

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In "The Last Session" Julia Bartz delivers a taut and harrowing thriller that delves deep into trauma, human vulnerability, and the sinister exploitation of the emotionally fragile.

The plot is compelling and richly layered, following Thea, an art therapist haunted by her own troubled past, as she embarks on a dangerous quest to uncover the truth behind a catatonic patient’s disappearance. Moving seamlessly between a psychiatric ward in New York and the eerie desert retreat of the Center for Relational Healing, Bartz creates a vivid and unsettling backdrop for the suspenseful narrative.

Thea’s journey is both psychological and physical, unfolding with an urgency that keeps the reader invested while allowing space for emotional depth. The pacing, which maintains a fine balance between tension and revelation, is excellent, and the narrative twists are carefully orchestrated, building intrigue and delivering shocks at just the right moments to hold readers' attention.

Thea stands out as a deeply flawed yet empathetic protagonist. Her struggles with addiction, the lingering scars of past abuse, and her determination to save a woman who eerily mirrors her own identity make her an unforgettable lead. The supporting cast, from the enigmatic Jonah to the shadowy figures of Moon and Sol, are equally compelling and complex, adding layers of mystery and moral ambiguity to the tale.

Ultimately, "The Last Session" is both a chilling thriller and a poignant exploration of the ways in which pain and vulnerability can be exploited. Bartz’s sharp prose and unflinching portrayal of emotional trauma elevate the story, making it as thought-provoking as it is gripping. This is a thriller with depth, complexity, and an unrelenting sense of unease, and readers will find this to be an unforgettable experience.

I really liked how The Last Session started out. It’s a mystery about a patient who shows up at a psychiatric hospital. Because of Thea, the therapist’s, past and connection she feels with this patient the rest of the story is about what she does to help her. In doing so the rest of the story goes down a crazy path. If you like realistic stories this might not be for you. However if you enjoy reading entertaining stories and are open to “out there” thinking then this would be for you. Thank you to Atria Books for the ARC!

I have a love hate relationship with this book now lol. The first 30% of the books was boring, 30-60% was interesting with a few twists, 60-90% had me thinking "wtf am I reading?", and the last 10% redeemed the book. The cult aspect was new to me, with that and the redeemable ending I gave it a solid 4 stars

I was hooked since the beginning of Catherine's story. She mysteriously ends up at a psychiatric hospital with no memory of anything. She looks traumatized and won't talk to anyone. Thea a social worker gets Catherines case, and she has a feeling that she looks familiar. Suddenly, Catherine dissappears, and Thea makes it her mission to find her. Thea finds some clues that lead her to a retreat in New Mexico. Let me tell you, it gets weird from that moment on. Weird people, and it gives cult vibes. I enjoyed the book for the most part.

That was not for me. The time jumping at the end felt very disjointed and confusing. The first three segments of the book felt anticlimactic, but not in the regular thriller way. It was an excellent idea, but the execution was not for me.

This was an interesting read with cult vibes! I was drawn into the story from the start! 🙌

I have to say, I did feel like this was a bit over the top for me though. Despite that, I did still enjoy it and would recommend checking it out! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

This was the first “cult” book I’ve read. The first half of this book was strong & kept me interested in the mystery unfolding. Things started to get a bit repetitive & off the rails, but I will say, Julia has insane creativity/research to come up with the ideas in this story! I was very impressed in that regard!
It was just okay for me; I definitely had to just enjoy the ride & suspend my belief in what was happening in the second half.
Thank you Atria Books for an early copy of The Last Session!

So many times I wanted to stop reading this awful novel.It started off fairly ok then it seemed to get better.Not!!For some reason I felt compelled to keep going to see where it would end. I found myself skipping large chunks of the utter nonsense that I found totally boring and unrealistic.At some point didn’t care how it ended.
Thank you NetGalley,author,Julia Bartz,and publisher,Altria Books for the opportunity to read,Last Session.
You may read all the other reviews about this novel because I really have nothing to add about this convoluted story.
On sale April 01,2025.